Dominic’s smirk widened as he crossed his arms, leaning casually against one of the tent poles. He was tall, lean, and radiated this air of arrogance that set my teeth on edge. His sharp green eyes darted between Zone and me, sizing us up like the way predators size their prey.“Ardan,” I said firmly, cutting straight to the point. “You know where he is.”Dominic raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Oh, do I now? And what makes you think I’d share that information with you?”Zone stiffened beside me with his hand twitching toward his blade, but I placed a calming hand on his arm. This was my fight.“Because we both know you don’t work for free,” I replied. “You don’t owe the rogue king loyalty, and I can pay you better than he ever could.”Dominic chuckled, pushing off the post and circling me slowly. “Interesting theory. But what makes you think your cause is worth my time? I mean, look at you—tired, desperate, and woefully out of your depth. You’re chasing a ghost, sweetheart.”I
The walk back to camp was filled with tension. Dominic’s easy smirk didn’t help; if anything, it made Zone’s temper simmer hotter. I could feel the heat of Zone’s eyes boring into Dominic’s back, but I kept my focus on the path ahead. We didn’t have time for petty arguments—not when Ardan was still out there.When we arrived, Rachel was sitting beside Gilly with her hands glowing faintly as she worked to stabilise our friend’s breathing. Gilly lay on a makeshift bed of leaves. Her face was pale but peaceful. Rachel glanced up as we approached. Her brows furrowed when she spotted Dominic.“Who’s this?” Rachel asked in a wary tone.Dominic gave her a lazy wave. “Dominic. Smuggler, information broker, occasional charmer. At your service.”Zone growled. “We don’t need your act. Just tell them why you’re here.”I stepped forward, cutting through the tension. “This is Dominic. He knows the rogue king’s network and might have information about Ardan’s whereabouts.”“Might,” Dominic echoed, l
The sun was up as we made our way to the canyon. Dominic led the way. Zone followed close behind with his hand resting on his sword. Rachel and Gilly were at my side. Gilly was leaning on Rachel for support as she regained her strength.The air felt heavier here, every sound was amplified and echoing off the rock.“Something’s not right,” Sally murmured in my mind.“I feel it too,” I replied with my senses sharpening as I scanned the cliffs above. The silence was unnerving.“We should move faster,” Zone said in a low but urgent tone.“Relax,” Dominic called over his shoulder, his tone infuriatingly casual. “This path is clear. I’ve used it dozens of times.”Zone’s growl was barely audible. “And how do we know you’re not leading us into a trap?”Dominic turned, walking backward with a grin. “Like I said, If I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead. Trust me, big guy.”I clenched my fists. “Keep moving. We’re too exposed here.”Dominic smirked but complied, turning forward again.Then a
The next morning, Zone and Dominic’s bickering had started again before we even broke camp.“You’re leading us into another trap, aren’t you?” Zone growled with his arms crossed as he faced Dominic, who leaned lazily against a tree.Dominic smirked, completely unbothered. “You’ve got trust issues, big guy. Relax. If I wanted to betray you, I’d have done it already.”“You’d say that whether you planned to or not,” Zone shot back with a sharp tone.“Enough,” I snapped, stepping between them. My patience was wearing thin, and I couldn’t afford to let their constant tension derail us. “This isn’t helping. We’re all here for the same reason—to find Ardan. Keep that in mind, or we’re not going to make it.”“No, you, are here to find Ardan. I’m done. I am telling you, Dominic is leading us into some trap I cant trust him.” Zone cried.“I saved you, I saved Gilly and I saved Rachel. I didn’t ask you to come with me. This is my fight and my fight alone. Do you think I trust Dominic?” I asked s
The camp had been unusually quiet that morning, but my thoughts were anything but still. Gilly was stronger now—more alert, more alive than she’d been since her rescue—but I couldn’t help noticing how Dominic avoided looking at her. His usual smirk was absent, and he kept his eyes away from from hers.Gilly seemed to notice, too. She stood a little apart from us, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on Dominic as if she were trying to solve a puzzle.“Gilly,” I said softly, walking over to her. “How are you feeling?”“Better,” she said. “A lot better, actually.” She hesitated as her gaze flickered toward Dominic. “But something’s off with him. He keeps avoiding me.”I followed her eyes, watching Dominic as he checked his weapons with meticulous precision. “That’s just how he is,” I said, though I couldn’t deny the unease creeping into my chest.“Serena,” Gilly said quietly with her voice almost a whisper. “He feels… familiar. I don’t know how to explain it,
My wrists ached from the tightness of the chains binding me. Sylvia had dressed me up in a maids costume just so she could mock me even more.“This was exactly what Gloria talked about. Gilly, Zone. They all warned us but we were blinded by it all.” Sally snared furious at being subdued.Sylvia sat across from me, lounging on a plush chair with a cruel smirk playing at the corner of her lips.“You’ve grown weaker, Serena,” she said, tracing a finger along the armrest. “Pathetic, really. And to think this room once belonged to you.”I blinked, glancing around. This truly was once my room.Sylvia’s laughter broke the silence. “Ah, so you do remember. Don’t worry; I’ve made a few improvements since then.”“You’re delusional if you think this changes anything,” I snapped.Sylvia leaned forward with her eyes narrowing. “Why are you doing this?” I asked, keeping my tone steady.She tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Why?” she repeated. “Are you really asking me that, Serena?”“Humour me,
Sylvia found me in the dungeon with Ardan and Dominic. She lunged at me, wanting to hit me when I stepped back and she fell on her face.“Go back there, now!” She demanded but I refused to move. “Dominic, tell her to move!” Sylvia demanded but Dominic chuckled. He told Sylvia to get out.“Get out? Pardon me?” Sylvia asked confused.“Don’t make repeat myself, Sylvia.” Dominic threatened and with her head low, she walked out of the dungeon.I then stood behind Dominic, watching Ardan’s battered body writhing on the stretcher. His wounds festered with angry red streaks spreading over his skin. I heart broke by just merely staring at him.Dominic stood tall in front of me. He turned his head slightly, as he looked over Ardan with indifference. “He’ll survive—hopefully,” he muttered.I stopped myself from lashing out. Sally was furious. She hated the way I was still even in this circumstance. But I couldn’t risk it. Not yet.Ardan’s eyes landed on me. His voice was hoarse. “Serena… what ar
Ardan’s PoVMy surroundings came back to me in pieces. I felt a grave amount of sharp, unrelenting pain, as the scent of antiseptic burned my nostrils. My head throbbed with each breath, and I struggled to open my eyes against the blinding white light.The first thing I saw was a familiar figure standing over me, Micheal. His hands were steady as he cleaned and dressed the wounds that filled my body.Michael, once a trusted family friend and the royal wolf doctor—someone I’d thought of as a brother. Now, standing in this enemy-controlled space, tending to me under Dominic’s command.“Michael,” I said hoarsely with my voice barely above a whisper.His hands were still, but he didn’t look up. “Save your strength, your majesty,” he said softly with a professional tone.The title hit me like a slap. It felt hollow coming from him, reminding me of what I’d lost. I was angry and my anger
Serena’s POVThe forest air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves, a reminder of how far we were from any place of comfort or safety. The sun had long since disappeared behind a thick canopy of twisted branches, leaving only faint shafts of light to guide our way.My senses were sharper than ever. Every shift in the wind, every crack of a branch, every faint scent carried on the air seemed amplified, as though the forest itself was whispering to me.“She’s close,” I said with my voice steady but low.Zone tightened his grip on his weapon and his jaw clenched. “I hope so,” he muttered. “I’m tired of chasing shadows.”Ardan placed a reassuring hand on Zone’s shoulder with his steady presence a calming force. “If Serena says she’s close, she is,” he said simply.I nodded as my Wolf mother instincts guided me. This power was still new, its limits and purpose unclear, but I trusted it.“She’s been here for a while,” I said as my eyes scanned the forest. “There’s magic e
Gilly’s POVThe world around me was nothing but darkness, an endless expanse of shadows that stretched in every direction. Time didn’t exist here, nor did sound or sensation. I floated in the emptiness, a weightless figure adrift in an ocean of nothingness.I didn’t know how I’d gotten here, but I knew one thing: I was trapped.At first, I thought this was death—a bleak and silent afterlife where my thoughts were my only companions. But I still felt the faintest pull of something beyond this void. It was like a tether, thin and fragile, connecting me to something—or someone.“Serena.“Her name flickered in my mind, a faint light in the darkness. Memories of her surged forward unbidden: her fierce determination, her unyielding loyalty, the way she had fought for all of us, even when the odds were stacked against her.I tried to call out to her, but my voice didn’t carry. The void swallowed every word before it could form.The shadows shifted. Slowly at first, then faster, swirling arou
Serena’s POVThe palace halls were quiet when we arrived and the weight of our mission was still hanging over us. The antidote, carefully wrapped in protective leaves, felt like the most precious cargo I’d ever carried.Rachel led the way to the medical wing, where Zone lay pale and motionless. His breathing was shallow, his chest barely rising with each breath. My heart clenched at the sight of him. He’d always been so strong, so unyielding, and seeing him like this felt like a blow to the gut.“We need to act fast,” Rachel said with her voice clipped as she began preparing the antidote.Ardan stood beside her with his jaw tight as he watched her every move. “How long before we know if it works?” he asked.Rachel didn’t answer immediately, her focus on carefully grinding the petals into a paste. “It depends,” she said finally. “If the poison hasn’t spread too far, we should see improvement within a few hours. If it has…” She trailed off, not needing to finish the thought.I swallowed
Ardan’s PoVI was ten years old, running through the woods with my best friend, Ren. Ren and I were inseparable, always finding excuses to sneak away from our lessons and explore the forest that bordered our pack’s land.That day, we’d wandered farther than usual, chasing the echo of a distant waterfall. The sound was faint, teasing us with its mystery, and Ren was determined to find it.“Come on, Ardan!” he called with his grin wide as he darted ahead.“Slow down, Ren,” I shouted, laughing as I tried to keep up.We were so caught up in the thrill of the chase that we didn’t notice the stillness creeping into the air. The birds stopped singing, the rustle of leaves quieted, and the usual hum of the forest faded into an eerie silence.It wasn’t until Ren screamed that I realised something was wrong.I came to a stop with my laughter dying in my throat as I turned to see him frozen in place and his eyes wide with terror. At first, I didn’t understand what he was looking at—then I saw it
The air around us sparkled for a brief moment before settling into the damp, oppressive atmosphere of the swamp. Ardan and I staggered as our surroundings materialised in front of us: a vast expanse of muddy water, twisted trees, and a blanket of fog that shrouded our vision. The teleportation spell had brought us to the right place, but something felt wrong.Ardan ran a hand through his hair, trying to summon the magic that had served him so well before, but nothing came. His focus faltered, and he cursed under his breath."What is it?" I asked, sensing the shift in his mood."My magic…" Ardan began, looking around in confusion. "It’s not working here. I can’t feel the flow of energy."My brow furrowed. "But… we’re here, Ardan. The swamp. This is where the flower should be. I’m sure your magic will come back when we—"Ardan’s eyes were sharp, scanning the surrounding fog. "It’s not just that.
It was dawn and the sun’s ray casted long shadows across the ancient books scattered on the table. Rachel sat among them with her hands moving methodically as she flipped through pages and her brow was furrowed in concentration. The weight of the pack’s survival, of Gilly’s fate, and of Zone’s worsening condition, seemed to press down on all of us, but Rachel carried it with quiet determination.I stood near the door, pacing as I waited for her to find something—anything—that could guide us.“How much longer?” I asked, trying to keep the impatience from my voice.Rachel didn’t look up. “As long as it takes,” she said. “These books are ancient. If there’s an answer, it’s buried deep.”I sighed, turning to look out the window. Derek’s pack had grown quiet since the confrontation during the council meeting, but the silence wasn’t peaceful. It was heavy, unea
The air in Derek’s pack was heavy with tension, thick enough to choke on. I stood on the steps of the main hall, looking out over the courtyard as the wolves went about their duties. Their movements were stiff and their conversations were hushed. Even the young ones seemed subdued and their usual energy was dampened by the fear and uncertainty that hung over the pack.I was no stranger to pressure or doubt, but this felt different. The weight of Gloria’s warnings, Gilly’s erratic behaviour, Zone’s condition, and now Dominic’s cryptic words before his death—it all pressed down on me and it crushed me. For the first time after Ardan’s disappearance, I didn’t know what to do.“Serena,” Ardan’s voice called softly from behind me.I turned to see him standing in the doorway with a concerned expression. Beside him, Rachel and Tobias waited with their faces mirroring his unease.“We need to
The tension in the pack house was palpable, the air was dense with unsaid fears and frustrations. Gloria’s warning about Zone still echoed in my mind, but I had no idea how or when the danger she mentioned would strike.Standing outside the room where Gilly was being held, I turned to Zone. His face was tight with worry, the weight of everything we’d been through clearly wore on him.“I need to talk to her,” I said firmly.Zone’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? She’s unpredictable right now, Serena. You’ve seen what she’s capable of.”“I know,” I admitted. “But I don’t have a choice. If Gloria has any hold over her, I need to know what she’s planning. And if Gilly knows anything, I’ll get it out of her.”Zone hesitated before nodding. “Fine, but I’m staying close. Just in case.”“No,” I sa
“Serena! Serena!” Rachel yelled, waking me up my sleep.“What is it?” I asked, itching my eyes and yawning tiredly.“We have to go to the ancient ruins, now.” She said.Just then, everywhere fell silent. Ardan walked in.“Hey” he smiled.“Hi.” I replied with a smile.It was windy as we approached the ancient ruins, a crumbling remnants of a once-great temple hidden deep within the mountains. It was sun set.“Are you sure this is the place?” Ardan asked in a low tone.Rachel nodded, clutching the tattered map we’d used to find the location. “The symbols match the ones we found in the archives. This has to be it.”I stepped forward. The scent of old magic filled the air. Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the ruins themselves were watching us, waiting for something to happen.“This place feels wrong,” I said quietly.“It’s steeped in magic,” Rachel replied. “Centuries old, but still potent. Whatever happened here left a mark.”Ardan moved closer with his presence grounding me.